Rohit Sharma acknowledged his error in judgment after India's dramatic collapse for just 46 runs on the second day of the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. Opting to bat first despite a rain-affected pitch under covers for two days, Rohit’s decision and team composition drew significant scrutiny.
“You make a call based on what you see, and sometimes it doesn’t go your way,” Rohit said. “I’m hurting because I made that call, but challenges like this are part of cricket. Unfortunately, we didn’t respond well this time, and it led to a tough situation.”
India fielded three spinners—R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav—while leaving out fast bowler Akash Deep. The pitch, however, heavily favored New Zealand's fast bowlers, who reduced India to 36 for 6 by lunch.
Explaining the rationale, Rohit said, “The pitch had minimal grass, and we expected it to turn as the game progressed. Kuldeep has performed on flat tracks before, so we thought he’d be effective here. Clearly, we misjudged the surface.”
Another surprise was Virat Kohli batting at No. 3 for the first time since 2016, a decision made due to Shubman Gill’s unavailability. Kohli, who had struggled at No. 3 in the past, managed only a 12-ball duck. Rohit explained the move was to maintain stability in the batting order, allowing players like Sarfaraz Khan to bat in their preferred positions.
Despite the setbacks, Rohit remained optimistic. “We need to limit their lead and bat big in the second innings. The pitch seems to be settling, so there’s still a game to be made out of this,” he said.
Rohit’s press conference ended on a lighter note, with the captain jokingly saying, “Chalao talwaar” [draw your swords], displaying resilience despite a challenging day for the team. New Zealand ended the day with a lead of 134 and seven wickets in hand, putting India under pressure to stage a significant comeback.
Updated on 17th October, 2024 by MyFortune11